The search to find the next president of Washtenaw Community College has yielded three new candidates, including one who holds the presidency at another state community college.
The college’s Presidential Search Advisory Committee announced late Wednesday night the next batch of finalists. Each will once again participate in public forums in the Towsley Auditorium inside the Morris Lawrence building.
The forums will take place on May 4, 5 and 9. Times will be announced shortly.
Dr. Thomas Baynum
Dr. Baynum has served as the president of Coastal Bend College in south Texas since 2007. Prior to holding the position, Baynum was the Vice President of Academic Affairs at Palo Alto College in San Antonio. Baynum earned his bachelor’s degree in English and French from and a master’s in English education from Wayne State College in Wayne, Neb. Baynum also earned a doctorate in higher education administration from The University of Baylor in Waco, Texas.
Dr. Jean Goodnow
Dr. Goodnow is the current president of Delta College located in University Center, near Saginaw. She has held the position since 2005. She previously served as the president of Illinois Valley Community College in Oglesby, Ill. Goodnow has Ph.D in higher education administration, a master’s degree in rehabilitation counseling and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of Iowa. She finished her post-graduate study at Harvard University.
Dr. Ann Valentine
Dr. Valentine serves as the president of Minnesota State Community and Technical College in Fergus Falls, Minn. Valentine has held that position since 2005. She served as the Vice President/Provost for Gateway Technical College’s Kenosha, Wis., campus prior to her current position. Valentine has an associate’s degree in liberal arts from Kirkwood Community College and a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Mount Mercy College in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She also holds a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in higher education leadership and policy studies from Iowa State University.
Dr. Richard Weld Bailey, the former Washtenaw Community College trustee for whom the library is named, died at his home with friends and family among him on Saturday, April 2.
He was 72.
Since a car accident in 2007, Bailey’s health has been on the decline, and he passed away under the care of Ann Arbor Hospice.
“Richard Bailey was truly the heart and soul of the college and insured continuity of mission and purpose for more than three decades,” said WCC President Larry Whitworth. “He cared deeply for the students and often referred to the college as ‘Democracy’s College’ because it provided an opportunity to many who wouldn’t otherwise be unable to pursue higher education.”
In 2005, WCC decided to honor Dr. Bailey by naming its library after him. Bailey believed that the library was one of the most important tools to a college student and could only further advance the learning habits of students.
“Dr. Bailey, a long-time trustee since WCC’s early days, had always believed in the integral role that the library plays in the college’s teaching and learning landscape,” said Dean of Learning Services Victor Liu. “It was therefore only fitting that on October 30, 2005, WCC library was named Richard W. Bailey Library in his honor.
“A consummate scholar with a heart for WCC students, Bailey exuded a love of learning and a dedication to service, values that the Bailey Library will carry forward.”
In addition to his work at WCC, Bailey was an active faculty member at the University of Michigan.
He held the Fred Newton Scott Collegiate Professorship and was a member of the University from 1965-2007. Bailey was the author of more than 20 books and has published more than 100 scholarly articles.
While an author of books such as “Images of English” and “Nineteenth-Century English,” Bailey also had a bit of a career doing some legal work. He was an expert witness in the 1979 Ann Arbor Black English Case. In addition, Bailey was also the co-author of an amicus brief with colleagues Dennis Baron and Jeffrey Kaplan for the District of Columbia v. Heller Supreme Court case.
In addition to his books, Bailey had an unmatchable passion of studying the English language. He possessed an interest in studying the history of dictionaries. He was intensely interested in how the English language was used worldwide.
Bailey was born on Oct. 26, 1939 in Pontiac to parents Karl and Elisabeth Bailey. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1961, where he studied English. Bailey also spent time studying at Edinburgh University and received his Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut in 1965.
After his graduate work in Connecticut, Bailey moved back to Michigan in 1965, and found himself a job as a teacher at U of M.
The father of three children, Nony, Andrew and Oceana, and the husband of Julia, Bailey was a WCC trustee for 34 years, serving from 1974-2008. Bailey served as the board chair from 1985-1994 and 1999-2000.
In 1987, Bailey was named president of the American Dialect Society. In 2001, he was named president of the Dictionary Society of North America. Eventually, Bailey was named a Fellow of the Dictionary Society, the highest award given by the society.
Bailey was an avid member of the Episcopal Church throughout his entire life, and in 2003 he was named president of the Guild Scholars of the Episcopal Church. He held the role for four years, ending in 2007. Bailey just recently received the Genesis Humanitarian Award from St. Clare’s Episcopal Church and Temple Beth Emeth.
“Dr. Bailey will sincerely be missed,” said Whitworth.
Services for Bailey were held at St. Clare’s Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor. Memorials may be made in his name to St. Clare’s Episcopal Church or to the Washtenaw Community College Richard W. Bailey fund.
Dr. Richard Weld Bailey, the former Washtenaw Community College trustee for whom the library is named, died at his home with friends and family among him on Saturday, April 2.
He was 72.
Since a car accident in 2007, Bailey’s health has been on the decline, and he passed away under the care of Ann Arbor Hospice.
“Richard Bailey was truly the heart and soul of the college and insured continuity of mission and purpose for more than three decades,” said WCC President Larry Whitworth. “He cared deeply for the students and often referred to the college as ‘Democracy’s College’ because it provided an opportunity to many who wouldn’t otherwise be unable to pursue higher education.”
In 2005, WCC decided to honor Dr. Bailey by naming its library after him. Bailey believed that the library was one of the most important tools to a college student and could only further advance the learning habits of students.
“Dr. Bailey, a long-time trustee since WCC’s early days, had always believed in the integral role that the library plays in the college’s teaching and learning landscape,” said Dean of Learning Services Victor Liu. “It was therefore only fitting that on October 30, 2005, WCC library was named Richard W. Bailey Library in his honor.
“A consummate scholar with a heart for WCC students, Bailey exuded a love of learning and a dedication to service, values that the Bailey Library will carry forward.”
In addition to his work at WCC, Bailey was an active faculty member at the University of Michigan. He held the Fred Newton Scott Collegiate Professorship and was a member of the University from 1965-2007. Bailey is the author of more than 20 books and has published more than 100 scholarly articles.
While an author of books such as “Images of English” and “Nineteenth-Century English,” Bailey also had a bit of a career doing some legal work. He was an expert witness in the 1979 Ann Arbor Black English Case. In addition, Bailey was also the co-author of an amicus brief with colleagues Dennis Baron and Jeffrey Kaplan for the District of Columbia v. Heller Supreme Court case.
In addition to his books, Bailey had an unmatchable passion of studying the English language. He possessed an interest in studying the history of dictionaries. He was intensely interested in how the English language was used worldwide.
Bailey was born on Oct. 26, 1939 in Pontiac to parents Karl and Elisabeth Bailey. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1961, where he studied English. Bailey also spent time studying at Edinburgh University and received his Ph.D. from the University of Connecticut in 1965.
After his graduate work in Connecticut, Bailey moved back to Michigan in 1965, and found himself a job as a teacher at U of M.
The father of three children, Nony, Andrew and Oceana, and the husband of Julia, Bailey was a WCC trustee for 34 years, serving from 1974-2008. Bailey served as the board chair from 1985-1994 and 1999-2000.
In 1987, Bailey was named president of the American Dialect Society. In 2001, he was named president of the Dictionary Society of North America. Eventually, Bailey was named a Fellow of the Dictionary Society, the highest award given by the society.
Bailey was an avid member of the Episcopal Church throughout his entire life, and in 2003 he was named president of the Guild Scholars of the Episcopal Church. He held the role for four years, ending in 2007. Bailey just recently received the Genesis Humanitarian Award from St. Clare’s Episcopal Church and Temple Beth Emeth.
“Dr. Bailey will sincerely be missed,” said Whitworth.
Services for Bailey were held at St. Clare’s Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor. Memorials may be made in his name to St. Clare’s Episcopal Church or to the Washtenaw Community College Richard W. Bailey fund.
WCC Presidential Search Committee: Top row: (left to right) Dr. Karl Covert, Jennifer Baker, Greg Stephens, Linda Blakey, middle row: Kris Chatas, Dr. Stephen Gill, Diana McKnight-Morton, Dr. G. William Abernethy, bottom row: Dr. James Hawkins, Carey Jernigan, Robert Chapman and Bennett Prud’homme. Not shown: Joyce Hunter
While details are limited, the search for Washtenaw Community College’s next president is on track, committee members say.
“The process has been running smoothly so far,” said Jennifer Baker, digital media arts instructor who is also one of the 13 members of the Presidential Search Advisory Committee. “There have been no hitches.”
The committee met earlier this month to narrow down the field of applicants to a manageable list of seven to 10 semifinalists.
Details are limited due to the committee’s devotion to protect the confidentiality of the candidates until the finalists are announced. That announcement is expected to be made toward the end of February.
The announcement will include the committee’s recommendations to the WCC Board of Trustees. The board will then begin an in-depth interview process of the candidates. Part of the process will include a public forum open to students and employees of WCC.
“Details will be given once the information can be made public,” said Linda Blakey, associate vice president of Student Services and member of the committee.
With four newcomers to Washtenaw Community College’s club volleyball team, the dynasty that coach Sheila Gillies has begun to create is on pause — but should resume again shortly.
Only two players returned from last year’s championship team, but that doesn’t mean that WCC’s Division AA volleyball team isn’t succeeding. In their first season as a team, they’ve compiled a 6-7 record, good enough for fourth in the league with only two weeks remaining in the winter season.
“We’ve done pretty well,” said Gillies, 27, of Ypsilanti. “We’ve had four new players move up to the team, so we’ve been working on getting them caught up on the system we run. Last season, we won the tournament, though.”
In a pivotal match-up between two playoff contenders, WCC failed to beat the Auto Lab KroHos. With only the top two teams making the playoffs, the KroHos managed to defeat WCC 2-1.
With WCC leading 16-11, the KroHos called a timeout in hopes of battling back to take the series to a third game — and they did just that. At one point scoring six unanswered points, the KroHos managed to tie the game at 21 before winning game two, 25-23.
Game three had similar results, as WCC stormed out to a 16-10 lead over the KroHos, before Coach Gillies called a timeout.
“We’re playing really well,” said Gillies in the huddle.
But WCC couldn’t pull through, dropping a 27-26 game to the KroHos, and losing the match 2-1.
The loss keeps WCC at fourth place, but the KroHos took a one-game lead over WCC in the standings.
“I was really happy with how we played,” Gillies said after the game. “We really just have to keep doing what we’re doing. Every week we do the little things and that makes us successful.”
Despite not having the most successful season to date, Gillies knows that her players will find success soon enough, and that once everyone is on the same page, her program will be back to dominating other local Ann Arbor teams — and the players agree.
“I love to see us having fun and come together as a team,” said Sarah Faeth, 32, an accounting major from Ypsilanti. “We had a big roster change, so considering that, I’m happy with it. We’re definitely going to come strong next season.”
The current Division AA team consists of just six women, while the school’s “B” team is used to develop any players interested in playing volleyball for WCC. Currently, the “B” team is in the running for a league championship, posting a 9-3 record as of Feb. 21, good enough for first in the league. The school also has a co-rec team, also coached by Gillies.
“They’re all really competitive,” said Gillies. “It’s all about the teams. There’s no ‘I’ in any of them. It’s quite a joy to coach them all, really.”
While Gillies receives a joy from coaching the women and is thankful for the opportunity, women on the team replicate the same feelings toward her.
“It’s amazing. She’s the best volleyball coach I’ve ever had,” said Faeth. “She took about 40 kids and made them all volleyball players. She really took the program and built it from the ground up.
“We’re extremely lucky to have such a program at WCC and extremely lucky to have such a great coach.”
A souped-up Mustang that will be entered in this years Autorama.
Washtenaw Community College’s Custom Cars and Concepts program is the undisputed champion of community college car modification programs.
In fact, for the past 10 years at Autorama, their dominance has been so undisputed — to the tune of 13 awards — that they’ve been uncontested. There’s a crop of new contenders, though, and later this month at Autorama in Cobo Center, they are going to step into the ring and test their mettle against WCC.
Autorama is the biggest indoor car show for private car owners. Enthusiasts compare it to the North American Auto Show, the difference being that manufacturers show their cars at NAAS.
“Autorama is the show you want to go to if you’re a custom-car maker. It’s not the car show in your local park,” said Ross Gordon, the interim dean of Vocational Technologies.
Autorama, which tours nationally, will visit Detroit Feb. 25-27.
“That’s going to be pretty fun. We’ve been competing up here with the big boys for a long time, and it’s going to be fun to see what other schools try to do,” said Gary Sobbry, an auto body repair instructor who is also in charge of the Custom Cars and Concepts program. CCC builds and modifies the vehicles that will be entered at Autorama.
The WCC contingent will not find out until the day of the event what classes they will be competing in.
“There are, like, 2,000 different classes,” said Sobbry. “We don’t really care where we compete as long as we’re competing against the biggest and the best.
“I’d rather lose to one of the big boys than win against worse competition.”
ROBERT CONRADI THE WASHTENAW VOICE
David Storch, 25, a Custom Cars and Concepts major from Walled Lake, prepares a customized 2005 Ford Five Hundred GT-R prototype for entry in Autorama.
Good luck to those neophytes, though. WCC is coming with its heavy artillery.
“We’ll have nine pieces total. Six bikes and ATVs from the motorcycle service technician program, and three cars,” said Sobbry.
Among them is the 2009 Chevrolet HHR that’s owned by the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Department.
“We modified it to make it look real old school, black and white,” said Sobbry.
“The Sheriff’s Department paid for it with confiscated drug money,” said Gordon. “They take it around to different schools and talk to kids about staying off drugs.”
In addition, there will be a modified Roush Mustang. Roush, according to its website, is the premier aftermarket Mustang performance manufacturer for Ford Mustangs.
Adam Woodward; computerized rendering; courtesy illustration
A 2005 Ford Five Hundred GT-R prototype, was made by students at WCC using a Ford GT Supercar engine and Ford Five Hundred body.
“The guy who donated the Mustang bought a Stage 1 before the Stage 3 was available and eventually really regretted it,” said Sobbry. “He brought it to us, and basically gave us $12,000 to modify it so that it would be more like a Stage 3. Now it’s bigger and badder than the Stage 3. It has 600-plus horsepower, we made the paint job just straight black, and it looks really cool.”
Finally among the cars will be a familiar sight. The Ford 500 GT-R that the Custom Cars and Concepts students built in 2006, and destroyed in a traffic collision, has subsequently been resurrected.
“Basically, Ford came to us and asked us to make a four-door that young people like, and they gave us a Ford 500 to use. We kind of laughed and said, ‘Bring us a GT, and we’ll be able to do something with it,’” said Sobbry. “And that’s exactly what (Ford) did.”
“After the accident, it was so messed up, it really should never have been rebuilt, but it was such a cool project, we decided to bring it back.”
“What’s so cool about our program is that 95 percent of these cars are built by students. There are some things that, for safety or liability reasons, (the instructors) have to step in and build and demonstrate for the students, but 100 percent of the cars are built by staff and students.”
This year at Autorama, in addition to the competitions, there will be a student career day, for which students can come and find out more about the custom car industry.
“There will be speakers who will come and give presentations about possible careers in the industry,” said Gordon. “We don’t know who the speakers will be this year; guys like Chip Foose (a world-renowned car designer) have been there.”
Additionally, WCC students will be able to attend Autorama at a considerable discount. Student Development and Activities has been able to work out a special price with the Autorama organizers, and students will be able to buy tickets for only $5. General admission is $18.
“If you can’t make it down to the show, though, we just want to encourage everyone to come down and see what we’re doing,” said Sobbry. “We’re there every Friday working on these cars, and everyone’s invited to come down and have a look.”
Students particpating in Winter Welcome Day at the Student Center had the opportunity to learn about various WCC clubs and services in a carnival-like atmosphere.
An impromptu dance display broke out at Washtenaw Community College’s Winter Welcome Day. What started with a group of six students swing dancing, turned into a two-hour dance display from students of all ages and races.
WCC students were treated to a wide variety of dances that added a different twist to the regular Welcome Day festivities.
The WCC dance club Dance 4 Unity, performed a number by members of the crew set to music provided by the Orchard Radio booth inside the Student Center.
Students from the African American Student Association performed a step routine in front of the crowd that swelled to more than 50.
A break-dancing battle involved four different who students, including 16-tyear-old David Daly from Plymouth. Daly is a WTMC student who even broke out “The Robot,” much to the crowds delight.
KRISTIN A. LYMAN THE WASHTENAW VOICE
Staff Adviser Corey Moomey, left and club Secretary Angela Creech, right draw attention to the Arts Club through masquerading.
KRISTIN A. LYMAN THE WASHTENAW VOICE
Spectrum members man their table.
KRISTIN A. LYMAN THE WASHTENAW VOICE
WCC alum Yasminah Ketchman recruits potential volunteers with a smile… and a platter of Girl Scout cookies.
KRISTIN A. LYMAN THE WASHTENAW VOICE
Pre-dentistry student Leena Farha, left, and pre-med student Waleed Baker, right, represent the Muslim Student Association.
ROBERT CONRADI THE WASHTENAW VOICE
Trevon Calahan, a nursing assistant major, demonstrates a flag dance, an activity he ‘loves with a passion.’
There can’t be construction without the traffic jams, right?
With Ann Arbor Township approving final site plans for the Washtenaw Community College parking structure, students and faculty will face some newer challenges when driving to school — and for once, it’s not overcrowded parking.
“The major impact for students and staff will be at the northeast corner of parking lot seven (behind the LA building) where it curves around toward the Children’s Center drop off parking,” said Associate Vice President of Facility Development and Operations Damon Flowers. “The access drive to the parking structure will form a ‘fork in the road,’ so to speak, at the curve.”
In addition to the construction, some parking spaces near the curve will be unavailable for use during construction, though this will not occur right away, he added.
The Board of Trustees will award the construction contract to a specific company at its Jan. 25 meeting. The board will approve a contractor and it will begin construction approximately two weeks after that, which should be at the end of the first week in February. Students can plan to park in the structure at the start of the Winter 2012 semester.
Several other sites around the WCC campus will be affected as well.
“Another impact to parking will be parking lot one (near the ML building),” said Flowers.
“Portions of this lot will be reconfigured, again, to accommodate the new access drive to the parking structure.”
In addition, Flowers added that a portion of Lot One will have to be fenced off by the construction crew in order to provide workspace, or a “lay-down” area, for the contractor.
While these two lots will face some of the heavier construction traffic over the course of the Winter semester, a building as far away as the Morris Lawrence Building and Huron River Drive will also be impacted.
The Washtenaw County Road Commission mandated that WCC add a dedicated left-turn lane when turning in to the college. When exiting from WCC and St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, right turns will be the only option onto Huron River Drive.
Adding the dedicated left-turn lane could reduce accidents and congestion by up to 80 percent, according to the Road Commission.
“This, they claim, is needed for the additional traffic entering the drive at the Morris Lawrence Building to go to the parking structure,” Flowers said of the road commission. “And they’re requiring a right-turn-only out, due to the misalignment of the college’s entrance and St. Joe’s emergency entrance.”
Students in the market for a computer or some spare parts can save a lot of money by purchasing used equipment from Washtenaw Community College – on eBay.
Students can bid on the popular auction website eBay.com for a computer that meets their needs.
While the computers may not be top-of-the-line, they are a perfect fit for someone looking to do basic functions at home. WCC sells everything from computers to mice and keyboards, according to Kimberly Tom, manager of User Support Services.
“We wanted to offer something for the students,” said Tom.
The college is on a three-to-five year replacement plan on its computers, according to Tom. So when the school brings in newer equipment, it sells the older models on eBay.
“Everything is in working condition,” said Tom.
The only concern for students would be that the computers do not come with software installed on them. However, because the computers are designed for use with older software, students can purchase it at a much lower price than current software.
Students who win the auction can simply pick up the computer at WCC to avoid paying a shipping fee.
WCC has been selling these older computers for years, but it wasn’t until 2005 that the college started using eBay. The school previously held sales on campus twice a year, when people would camp out all night in hopes of being the first in line.
The new system makes it easier for all students and staff to have a chance at getting a great deal on a computer, according to Tom.
Depending on when students shop the website, they can bid on anything from a Dell PC to an iMac. There is also a chance that networking equipment, printers and scanners could be available too.
Those interested in viewing current auctions available from WCC can visit:
myworld.ebay.com.
On Nov. 2, voters determined that the two Washtenaw Community College trustees who were up for reelection could keep their jobs.
With that vote of support and the kind of stability that the college values, the board in quick succession lost a trustee, gained another and changed every single leadership position.
Let us explain: Trustee David Rutledge was also up for election. Only this time, it was to be Michigan’s 54th District State Representative. He won, the board appointed a new trustee — Patrick McLean — to take his place and they all swapped internal positions for chair, vice chair, treasurer and secretary, just like they did two years before, after a board vote.
Change is good. This time, it’s really good.
A “post-recession” era is a rather bad time to lose your treasurer. WCC is right in the middle of a lot of construction projects, so it was critical that the board find a suitable replacement for the position or appoint one of the current trustees.
That’s why the board’s appointment of McLean was such a relief.
McLean is the finance director of the city of Toledo. Could you ask for a better finance background?
Did we mention that he’s taught at a community college before? And that he was the vice chancellor for affordability and efficiency with the Ohio Board of Regents and the University System of Ohio? Because he was (See McLean cleans up, front page).
Efficiency is an especially important word. With all of these attempts to be more “green,” the campus can forget the simpler ways to save energy and money. Our hopes are that McLean will bring that to the board and push it in a more financially and environmentally progressive direction.
However, even though we approve of our new trustee, who was easily placed as the new treasurer upon induction, the selection process could have run a little differently.
In Trustees to fill Rutledge’s position ASAP (Jan. 10 issue), it was apparent that at least one candidate for the trustee position did not feel as though the process was transparent enough. William Campbell was never interviewed for the position, and was under the impression, as we were, that all of the candidates would be interviewed.
We didn’t find out until this week that this was not the case. Shame on The Washtenaw Voice for getting our information wrong. But as for Campbell and the rest of the public, this information should be readily available. So in reality, this shouldn’t have been something we had to “dig for” as a newspaper at all.
The board likes to make its affairs as transparent as possible. At the last meeting, the trustees debated the over wording of the description of their monthly meetings; should they include “and dinner at approximately 6:00 p.m.?” What if they didn’t eat dinner together that night?
What if they couldn’t eat until 6:15 p.m.?
Compared to the details of their appointee process, this was rather minor. Still, it garnered discussion.
In the future, perhaps the trustees will explain the important processes in more detail. We’re sure McClean could help the board do it in an efficient manner, too.
